Tragedy, Horror, and Alienation in Literature ENG 2, Section S9 Spring 2010 Saturday 9:00-11:45am, 3146 Boylan Hall Instructor: Christine Choi Office: 2311 Boylan Hall Office hours: Saturday 2:00-3:00pm Sunday 11:45-12:45pm (by appointment) Email: [email protected]
COURSE INTRODUCTION
Description Welcome to English 2! This course aims to strengthen and sharpen your critical reading and writing skills beyond the level achieved in English 1. Over the semester, we will immerse ourselves in a series of novels that broach the themes of tragedy, horror, and alienation in literature from different angles and perspectives. Focusing on what Umberto Eco calls the intentio operis, the intention of the work, we will examine the language, structures, frames, and plots, the characters and characterizations, the images and ideas, those discussed and those implied, that make up the conceptual worlds of our assigned texts in order to figure out what messages are being conveyed by their respective authors. Some of the recurring themes we will encounter in our readings include: madness, superstitions, the role of social pressures, gender oppression, the human condition, isolation, dehumanization, destiny vs. free will, sexuality, Gothicism, the transformation from child to adult, the quest for identity, the search for meaning in a meaningless universe, cynicism, alienation, and so on.
Each class you will be assigned a reading or writing assignment (or both). You will be expected to read each assignment carefully, preferably twice, so that you can participate in class discussions. There will be quizzes given at the beginning of each class to ensure that everyone is reading the material carefully and regularly. Please keep in mind that active student participation is a significant portion of your grade and essential for the successful completion of this course.
Objectives Close attention will be paid to the development of critical and analytical writing skills, and some classroom time will be devoted to the methodology of essay writing and strategies for reading. By the end of the semester, you should become adept at writing, reading, and thinking analytically; command a clear and effective prose style; and finally, know how to use the resources of the library, compile a working bibliography and outline, avoid plagiarism, and write a literary critical essay that incorporates secondary sources (research). Towards this objective, students will develop their writing skills through regularly assigned informal response exercises, 2 short expository essays, a midterm exam, and a final research paper. There is no final exam in this class. Tragedy, Horror, and Alienation in Literature ENG 2, Section S9 Spring 2010 Saturday 9:00-11:45am, 3146 Boylan Hall Instructor: Christine Choi Office: 2311 Boylan Hall Office hours: Saturday 2:00-3:00pm Sunday 11:45-12:45pm (by appointment) Email: [email protected]
REQUIREMENTS
Texts “The Black Cat,” Edgar Allan Poe “The Yellow Wallpaper,” Charlotte Perkins Gilman “Bartleby,” Herman Melville Dracula, Bram Stoker (Bedford/St. Martin’s) The Metamorphosis, Franz Kafka (Simon and Schuster) David Copperfield, Charles Dickens (Penguin Classics) The Catcher in the Rye, J.D. Salinger (Little, Brown and Company) A Pocket Style Manual (5th ed.), Diana Hacker
Writing Assignments Over the course of the semester, you’ll be expected to write informal responses based on the assigned readings that you will share in class and then turn in to me. In addition, you will be required to engage in more formal writing—2 short expository essays (4-5 pages), and a research paper (6-8 pages)—which you will submit to me in hard copies.
You will have the opportunity to revise your 2 shorter essays. However, to earn a higher grade, you must improve the quality of the essay on a conceptual as well as a mechanical level. Rewritten essays that are simply line-edited for grammar and turned back in will receive the same letter grade.
All essays must be typed or word processed, stapled and should follow basic MLA guidelines for format and style: i.e., standard margins on all sides; double spaced lines with indented paragraphs; Times New Roman 12 pt. font; and numbered pages. Make sure you proofread all work before submitting it to me. If your work is incoherent, formatted incorrectly and/or filled with spelling and grammatical errors, I will hand it back to you. As an English 2 student, you’re expected to be able to write clearly and cohesively.
I will not accept handwritten or electronic submissions of essays. All late work is subject to grade penalty. Under no conditions will I accept any work that is more than one week late. Tragedy, Horror, and Alienation in Literature ENG 2, Section S9 Spring 2010 Saturday 9:00-11:45am, 3146 Boylan Hall Instructor: Christine Choi Office: 2311 Boylan Hall Office hours: Saturday 2:00-3:00pm Sunday 11:45-12:45pm (by appointment) Email: [email protected]
Presentations There are 2 required presentations. The first will happen sometime throughout the semester (on whichever date you sign up for) and will be on the text that is to be discussed that day. You will prepare in advance a brief presentation on any variation of the following: a piece of criticism written about the text and your assessment of it, historical background on the author and text that you feel is relevant to understanding the reading, an analysis of particular quotes or passages that speak to the intentio operis of the work, and so on. These presentations are meant to initiate the discussion for that day. Hence, you must finish with an observation that can be opened to a larger debate.
The second presentation will be a group presentation to be delivered on the final day of class.
Grade Breakdown (1) Essays 30% (2 @ 15% each) (2) Participation, Quizzes, Informal Writing Assignments 15% (3) Midterm 15% (3) Presentations 10% (2 @ 5% each) (4) Research Paper (annotated bibliography & outline 10%; paper 20%)
POLICIES
Absences Attendance is recorded at the beginning of every class. More than 2 absences will constitute an automatic failure of the course. I repeat: more than 2 absences will constitute an automatic failure of the course. This includes both excused and unexcused absences. If you are absent, you are fully responsible for any work missed. You must contact another classmate, not me, for this missing work. Being absent is not an excuse for late papers or missed in-class work. Walking out before class is over or extreme lateness (i.e., coming in 5 minutes before class is over) both constitute as an absence.
Lateness Two unexcused late arrivals or early departures are equivalent to one absence. Anyone who comes to class more than 15 minutes late is marked absent.
Etiquette Listen and be respectful of others. Turn your cell phones completely off (not on vibrate) before entering class. Also, please use the bathroom prior to coming to class. I do not look kindly on students who get up and leave the classroom while class is in session, as it Tragedy, Horror, and Alienation in Literature ENG 2, Section S9 Spring 2010 Saturday 9:00-11:45am, 3146 Boylan Hall Instructor: Christine Choi Office: 2311 Boylan Hall Office hours: Saturday 2:00-3:00pm Sunday 11:45-12:45pm (by appointment) Email: [email protected] disrupts the lesson. Students caught text messaging, reading non-related class materials, sleeping, or anything else along these lines (all of which are extremely obvious from where I am standing) will be penalized in their class participation grade.
Preparation Class participation is judged on how students engage the text, each other, and the professor. Students are expected to complete the required reading for any given session and to come to class prepared to participate. A high participation grade can be earned by coming to class consistently and on time, contributing consistently to class discussion, and participating in in-class activities, including peer review. Make sure you have a notebook to write in and something with which to write. Take notes because our discussions will aid in your understanding of the texts and, thus, your performance in essay writing and on the midterm exam. Last but not least, complete all the work for the course on time. The due dates for assignments are indicated on the “Schedule of Classes” (to be distributed) and are collected at the beginning of class.
Plagiarism Plagiarism is a serious offense. Plagiarism, as defined by the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, is the “act of using another person’s ideas, or expressions in your writing without acknowledging the source. To plagiarize is to give the impression that you have written, or thought something that you have in fact borrowed from someone else.” Having someone heavily edit your work is also considered plagiarism. If the idea and/or writing is not your own, you need to document it. If you are not sure and cannot ask me, document the source to be safe. Plagiarism is theft and will result in an automatic F in the course, no exceptions.
RESOURCES
Office Hours I expect to speak with you all frequently and encourage you to utilize my office hours to ask me questions, voice any concerns, receive consultation on your writing, ask for help, etc. Please schedule an appointment with me in advance so that I know you are coming. Do not wait until an assignment is due before telling me you’re having trouble with it. It is your responsibility to speak to me about any issues you are having. Every student should meet with me at least once over the semester. Tragedy, Horror, and Alienation in Literature ENG 2, Section S9 Spring 2010 Saturday 9:00-11:45am, 3146 Boylan Hall Instructor: Christine Choi Office: 2311 Boylan Hall Office hours: Saturday 2:00-3:00pm Sunday 11:45-12:45pm (by appointment) Email: [email protected]
The Learning Center The Learning Center (1300 Boylan) provides free peer tutoring in writing by trained students. Help may be obtained in prewriting, outlining, mechanics of writing, proofreading, revising, or developing a format for any paper. You may attend weekly or on a drop-in basis. I strongly encourage that you take advantage of this service and well before the due date of a writing assignment.